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User blog:Obi the LEGO Fan/Bible Study on James 4
In lieu of a chat log, I will be posting a summary (along with some of my own commentary) of our most recent Bible study on chat. A5, Shadowfax, Goggles, Batgirl and myself participated. We read and discussed James 4. Humility Most of our discussion revolved around James 4:6 and the theme of humility. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." We considered questions such as, what does it mean to be humble? What are ways that we can be humble? What does that look like in daily life? We came up with five main ways to be humble. #Treat others better than yourself #Give God the credit for accomplishments #Be long suffering #Recognize our ephemerality #Confess God's sovereignty Philippians 2 came up when discussing #1. It paints a picture of how we should be humble: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." This is a high calling, but it has practical applications. We discussed the "me first" mentality that is prevalent in today's society. From children squabbling over the biggest serving of desert to adults trying to be first in line to the bank, there's always something. A way to be humble, then, is to let others have the best and not put yourself first. As Jesus said, "many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Number two is one that has been especially important in my life. Giving God the credit for His gifts takes humility, but it is rewarding. I have been more blessed throughout my life after doing so consistently. I try to always rely on God, trust Him, and thank Him for any successes I have. It's important to remember that "every good and perfect gift is from above". We ought to do everything for the glory of God. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Number 3 is the one that is personally hardest for me. I have a sharp sense of justice, and tend to overreact even to slight injustices. But we are told to be long suffering, to endure persecution, and even to rejoice in the face of it! Of course, some "injustices" are petty and not persecution. But how much more ought we to suffer these? Although some things may seem unfair, we still must "do everything without grumbling or arguing", which is hard for me. We also discussed whether we should allow others to be mistreated as well as ourselves. Our consensus was that we should not. I summed it up with this: "If someone slaps me on the cheek, I turn to the other side. If someone slaps my little sister on the cheek, I punch them in the face." Number four came from James 4:13-17. In our pride, we tend to act as if things are under our control, and that we can plan our own destinies. But God is in control, and we ought to always pray for His will. It takes humility, yes, but we must recognize and admit our ephemerality, our fugacity. We are like the grass that withers. Number five is pretty much an expansion on #4. God is in control, not only over our lifespan, but over everything. The less we rely on ourselves, and the more we rely on God, the better. The following verse has been a pillar in my spiritual journey: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (Proverbs 3:5) It is so important to lean on God, and not ourselves. Relying on God has changed my life, and I encourage others to pray for God to let them lean on His understanding as well. Ask and receive! Well, those five were the main things we discussed. Feel free to add to this if you were there. Also, feel free to continue a discussion on humility in the comments! :D Category:Blog posts